PROJECTS | India | Empowerment and Livelihoods of
Street and Working Children

This project supports approximately 700 street and working children in the towns of Dindigul and Palani and over 300 young children living in Vilpatti and surrounding areas.

Vilpatti is a remote village in the Palani Hills.  The majority of residents are landless farmers or labourers who face a daily struggle to earn a living and place little practical importance on their children’s education and development.  Arunodhaya runs a community centre in Vilpatti, including a crèche, after school club and health clinic, which provides vital childcare support to residents living in and around the village.  As well as expert care by experienced and qualified staff, the crèche offers nutritious meals, healthcare, early childhood education, and a wide range of stimulating activities for children.  The after school club, also based in the centre, provides supplementary tuition for children who need additional help with school subjects and remedial classes for children not attending formal education.  The centre’s health clinic provides medical care to women and children including regular health checks, immunisation, and maternal healthcare and advice.  This provides children with the care and support they so badly need, preventing them from moving to the big cities, often trying to find work.   

Street and working children in Dindigul and Palani are offered immediate care and support at Arunodhaya’s 24-hour drop-in centres located in each town.  Here, their basic needs are met through provision of nutritious food, washing facilities, medical care, clean clothing, psychosocial support and temporary shelter.  Having sacrificed their education to help support their families, many working children are left with minimal literacy and numeracy skills.  Non-formal education classes - prior to (re)introduction in formal education - provided at the drop-in centres and also in community shelters within the slums, suit the daily routine and diverse standards and abilities of street and working children.  For older children who are unable or unwilling to continue with their education, Arunodhaya offers vocational training courses.  These courses last for six months and include a one month work placement in local workshops.